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Greater was the shepherd's treasure,
Than this false, fine, courtly pleasure.

Where how many creatures be,
So many puff'd in mind I see ;
Like to Juno's birds of pride,

Scarce each other can abide :
Friends like to black swans appearing,
Sooner these than those in hearing.

Therefore, Pan, if thou may'st be
Made to listen unto me,
Grant, I say, if seely man
May make treaty to god Pan,
That I, without thy denying,
May be still to thee relying.

Only for my two loves' sake,*
In whose love I pleasure take;
Only two do me delight

With their ever-pleas.ng sight;
Of all men to thee retaining,

Grant me with those two remaining.

So shall I to thee always

With my reeds sound mighty praise :
And first lamb that shall befall,

Yearly deck thine altar shall,
If it please thee to be reflected,
And I from thee not rejected."

*The margin again gives the initials, Sir E. D. and M. F. G.

So I left him in that place, Taking pity on his case; Learning this among the rest, That the mean estate is best; Better filled with contenting, Void of wishing and repenting.

THE LADY OF MAY,

A MASQUE.

The origin of the "Lady of May" possesses somewhat of political interest. In 1578, while Queen Elizabeth either was, or affected to be, still entirely undecided whether or not she should embrace the matrimonial proposals of the Duke of Alençon, she was invited by the Earl of Leicester to his splendid mansion of Wansteadhouse, probably with the hope of recovering, in privacy, and when relieved from the counter-manœuvres of his rivals, that ascendancy over the royal mind, which seemed now on the point of being completely annihilated. The Queen accepted the invitation, and remained several days at the luxurious mansion of her favourite, where every pleasure was presented to her which ostentatious magnificence could devise, or prodigality collect. Even Sir Philip Sidney then condescended to flatter her vanity in the following Masque, which was written for the occasion, and performed in her Majesty's presence with all the adornments which the composition admitted of. Like the other similar productions of the same period, it is remarkable for little else than the nauseous seasoning of adulation in which that extraordinary woman took such exquisite delight. The following are the names of the

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

The SUITER, mother of the May-Lady.
The MAY-LADY.

THERION, a forester

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Suiters of the May-Lady.

ESPILUS, a shepherd
ROMBUS, a schoolmaster.
LALUS, an old shepherd.
DORCAS, a shepherd.
RIXUS, a forester.

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